Ottoman coat of arms
Encyclopedia
Every sultan
of the Ottoman Empire
had his own monogram, called the tughra
, which served as a coat of arms
. A modern coat of arms, (inspired by the European heraldic tradition
) was created in the late 19th century. The final design was adopted by Sultan Abdul Hamid II
on April 17, 1882. It included two flags: the flag of the Osmanli Dynasty which had a crescent
and a star on red base and the flag of the Islamic Caliph which had 3 crescents on a green base.
Some graphic elements of the coat of arms of the Ottoman Empire such as the central oval and the vertically-oriented crescent and star were re-edited in the current semi-official emblem of the Republic of Turkey.
Sultan
Sultan is a title with several historical meanings. Originally, it was an Arabic language abstract noun meaning "strength", "authority", "rulership", and "dictatorship", derived from the masdar سلطة , meaning "authority" or "power". Later, it came to be used as the title of certain rulers who...
of the Ottoman Empire
Ottoman Empire
The Ottoman EmpireIt was usually referred to as the "Ottoman Empire", the "Turkish Empire", the "Ottoman Caliphate" or more commonly "Turkey" by its contemporaries...
had his own monogram, called the tughra
Tughra
A tughra is a calligraphic monogram, seal or signature of an Ottoman sultan that was affixed to all official documents and correspondence. It was also carved on his seal and stamped on the coins minted during his reign...
, which served as a coat of arms
Coat of arms
A coat of arms is a unique heraldic design on a shield or escutcheon or on a surcoat or tabard used to cover and protect armour and to identify the wearer. Thus the term is often stated as "coat-armour", because it was anciently displayed on the front of a coat of cloth...
. A modern coat of arms, (inspired by the European heraldic tradition
Heraldry
Heraldry is the profession, study, or art of creating, granting, and blazoning arms and ruling on questions of rank or protocol, as exercised by an officer of arms. Heraldry comes from Anglo-Norman herald, from the Germanic compound harja-waldaz, "army commander"...
) was created in the late 19th century. The final design was adopted by Sultan Abdul Hamid II
Abdul Hamid II
His Imperial Majesty, The Sultan Abdülhamid II, Emperor of the Ottomans, Caliph of the Faithful was the 34th sultan of the Ottoman Empire...
on April 17, 1882. It included two flags: the flag of the Osmanli Dynasty which had a crescent
Crescent
In art and symbolism, a crescent is generally the shape produced when a circular disk has a segment of another circle removed from its edge, so that what remains is a shape enclosed by two circular arcs of different diameters which intersect at two points .In astronomy, a crescent...
and a star on red base and the flag of the Islamic Caliph which had 3 crescents on a green base.
Some graphic elements of the coat of arms of the Ottoman Empire such as the central oval and the vertically-oriented crescent and star were re-edited in the current semi-official emblem of the Republic of Turkey.